13 county schools listed as failing

Published 9:00 pm, Thursday, July 25, 2002

Thirteen Midland County schools were listed among 1,513 Michigan schools identified in a federal report as needing improvements.

The report, part of President Bushs No Child Left Behind program set to take effect in the fall, listed 40 percent of Michigan schools as failing to improve as outlined in state guidelines.

Michigan schools are expected to improve by at least 10 percent on Michigan Educational Assessment Program tests that include math, reading, science and writing. Failure to improve in any of the four areas for two consecutive years puts a school on the list.

The list included only schools that receive Title I money from the federal government. Title I money is allocated to schools based on whether the percentage of students in a building that qualify for free and reduced lunches is more than the district average.

"People shouldnt feel that just because their school hasnt appeared on the list that they are superior," said Linda Cline, Midland Public Schools director of finance and former coordinator of testing. "We could have schools in Midland that qualify for Title I that in other places wouldn't."

The report also is based on last years test scores and have not been updated. Some schools may have made adequate improvement within the last year. For example, Central Middle School was on the list for not having enough improvement in reading and science. However, Central did reach adequate reading scores for the most recent school year, Cline said.

"Were certainly discouraged that more than 1,500 schools in the state were listed as needing improvement," said Bullock Creek Superintendent Dave Chapin. "Each state was left to determine their own criteria and the Michigan list is the longest list in the country of all 50 states."

Its a leap from identifying academic areas that need improvement to passing judgment on schools, Chapin said. The information used in the report is based on specific data, in specific subject areas at a specific point in time, he said.

"We're trying to sort through it. We want the best for our students and thats why we constantly look at ways to analyze data," Chapin said. "Its another reminder that the work we do in schools day in and day out is scrutinized closely."

Other than dealing with public relations, the report wont change much of what is happening at local schools, said Coleman Superintendent Al Roeseler. Coleman Elementary School, which was included on the list, has been on an improvement plan for several years.

"Were making reasonable progress in terms of meeting those goals," Roeseler said. "The fact is that Michigan standards are higher than most other states. We tend to look worse in comparison to the rest of the nation because we set higher standards for ourselves."

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires that some other educational options be provided for students in the subject areas identified for improvement, said Linda Brown, assistant director of the office of field services at the Michigan Department of Education. An option for students to transfer to another school in the district and tutorial services at schools that are listed for three consecutive years are provisions of the act, Brown said.

The list always has been provided to school districts, but because of the transition to the new law the U.S. Department of Education has publicized it, Brown said. Provisions of the law take effect for the first time this fall.

"The purpose was to focus on school improvement planning and professional development," she said. "We should be proud of the number of schools on the list because it shows how seriously we take school improvement."

There has been no indication that the state board of education will change the criteria used for the report, said T.J. Bucholz, a spokesman for the state department of education.

"We are not ashamed of our status. The question that should be asked is Why arent other states following Michigans lead?" Bucholz said. "We are unwilling to lower the bar."